Tesla‘s Cybertruck has had a rough start since it was introduced last year.
According to Cars.com, Tesla’s off-roading, bulletproof EV has been recalled six times since its release. The recalls include a fault in the driver inverter which may cause a loss of drive power to the wheels, a delayed rearview mirror cam, a malfunctioning front windshield wiper, and an accelerator pedal pad that can dislodge and become trapped in the interior trim of the car.
Recently, a viral video adds another potential defect to the list. TikTok users Jordan and Tatum (@jordan8tatum), who own a Cybertruck, recently earned over 1.4 million views when they documented their rims breaking after a crash.
What happened to the rims?
The couple posted two videos about the rims cracking. The first video, showing the Cybertruck after the wreck, garnered 5.8 million views, and the second video was posted a day later. In the second video, Tatum questions how the rims either cracked in a “perfect circle” leaving the lug nuts still attached or crumbled from the force of the wreck.
“I don’t know what type of steel they made if it’s some type of special alloy or something, but it’s almost like cinder blocks, it crumbles,” Tatum said. “I wonder if it is a defect with the Cybertruck or something like that.”
According to car sites Unplugged Performance and Tsportsline, Tesla’s rims can be made from a variety of materials. For example, Cybrhex forged wheels are made from Forged 6061-T6 Aluminum. Some are made from steel and aero cover models are made from injection molded plastic.
Many defects have been documented on TikTok
According to Slate, multiple owners of the Tesla Cybertruck have documented defects and issues on TikTok. The news site explains that touted benefits like bulletproof and armored glass have been disproved, the sharp futuristic edges can cause fatalities if a pedestrian or bicyclist is involved, and it has difficulty scaling steep hills.
But those are just some of the well-known issues. One TikToker documented visibility issues, including obstructed front and rear views. Another posted after attempting to off-road only to discover the Cybertruck has traction issues, which required a Ford truck to tow them to safety.
A third posted after discovering that the mileage capacity per charge was “far lower than advertised.” Finally, an issue with the wheels was documented during the “desert-racing King of the Hammers tournament,” where a Cybertruck’s rear wheels “popped off” while the driver did donuts.
What do viewers think?
Some users offered their opinion on what type of material the rims are made of.
“It’s cast aluminum. Poor quality at that,” one said.
“Cheap cast aluminum,” a second said.
Other viewers spoke negatively about the Tesla Cybertruck’s quality in general.
“The entire car is built from craptonium, very rare,” another joked.
“So basically you paid for a Rolls Royce & in return you got a POS 2001 Pontiac Aztec,” a third agreed.
“Cybertruck is nothing but one giant defect,” a user remarked.
@jordan8tatum Even in a crash the Cybertruck Rims shouldn’t crumble 🤷🏾♂️🤔 #cybertruck #JordanNTatum #fail ♬ original sound – Jordan & Tatum
The Daily Dot reached out to Jordan and Tatum via TikTok Comments and email and Tesla via email.
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